Last night's debate was the first I had the opportunity to watch since some of the very early pre-debates several months ago. In conversations with family I have expressed to them my support for Obama due to his overall vision as well as my admiration for Edwards for his consistent anti-corporate stance. I have said that if Clinton were the Democratic nominee I would vote for her while holding my nose since any, ANY Democratic nominee would be better than any rethuglican. Last night's debate, however, showed just how much the Democratic party has become beholden to special interests through the Clinton machine and how the Clinton machine will SAY AND DO ANYTHING to regain power....
In short, if Clinton were the nominee, I would really, really have to put aside my deep down disdain for her campaign tactics...Would I really be able to do this and vote for her??? Would I consider not pulling the lever for Presidential candidates in the voting booth and just voting for local candidates?
To understand what happened last night, one only needs to read the often repeated view (and overall purpose of this site) by Kos that we must change the Democratic party from within to make it represent progressive interests.
Last night's debate was but a symptom of the CANCER that has taken over the Democratic party. This Cancer is called the lust for power and money. This Cancer kills the lifeblood of the Democractic party which is equality and justice for all Americans. This Cancer is kept alive by rethuglican trolls and out of the loop 'democratic' consultants. This Cancer is what Obama has targetted with his rhetoric and Edwards with his policy proposals. Hope and progressive policy proposals are the antidote to this Cancer. Curing this Cancer is the mission progressives must be focused on.
As the poll front-runner, Hillary has the ability to rid our debates and our campaigns of this Cancer by running a campaign that directs its fire at the rethuglican party and its policies. Hillary failed all of us as Democrats through her consistent distortion of Obama's record and her mudslinging politics. Hillary has become part of the Cancer that infects the Democratic party. And now Obama has to resort to the same type of tactics to defend himself....I will not make excuses for him and will see how he recovers from last night...
But back to my original question....Will I be able to vote for her in the general election if she were the nominee? How do we keep fighting for the soul of the Democratic party if we have a nominee who exhibits all of the things that we are trying to rid the party of?
Comments are much appreciated since I am truly disappointed in the debate last night and can only now hope that the Democrats don't implode and lose yet another election...
Sincerely,
One disillusioned young Democrat